259: Resolution on Police and Human Rights in Africa

The African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) meeting at its 54th
Ordinary Session, held from 22 October to 5 November 2013 in Banjul, The Gambia,

Recalling its mandate to promote and ensure the protection of
human and peoples’ rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights (the African Charter);

Recognizing the central role of the
police in the maintenance and enforcement of law and order and the promotion of
citizen’s safety as well as the respect for human rights;

Further
recognizing the growing demands
placed on the police to combat national and transnational crime, terrorism and
other emerging security challenges;

Concerned that effective policing in Africa
is impeded by several factors including limited financial resources, inadequate
training, poor working conditions and corruption;

Further
concerned that this situation has led to
non-compliance by the police with basic human rights standards in the execution
of their duties, including the use of excessive and disproportionate force,
extrajudicial killings and summary executions, arbitrary and illegal arrest,
torture and mistreatment;

Noting the
importance of human rights training for the police as well as efficient
mechanisms to follow up on human rights compliance by the police;

Recalling its
decision at the 40th and 41st ordinary sessions to
organize seminars on Building the Culture of Peace and Human Rights for the
Military / Police in Africa;

Reaffirms its commitment to continue to place police and human rights as a priority issue in the
execution of its promotion and protection mandate;

Calls on State
Parties to the Charter to ensure that in the execution of their duties, police
fully comply with the respect for human rights and the rule of law;

Further calls on State Parties to the African Charter to
take the appropriate measures in accordance with the relevant Articles of the
African Charter and other regional instruments to ensure that police services
respect the dignity inherent in the individual in the discharge of their
duties.